By IANS,
Srinagar : As 24X7 curfew continued in major towns of the Kashmir Valley, protests took a new turn Monday with people taking to the streets following rumours that the Quran had been desecrated in the US.
Hundreds of villagers from densely populated rural areas in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district started taking out processions Monday morning shouting pro-Quran and anti-America slogans. Such protests also erupted in Shalimar area of Srinagar city.
Locals here say an Iranian television news channel had announced late Sunday that a copy of the Holy Quran had been burned in the US. A pastor in Florida, US, had threatened to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
Interestingly, the processions here did not see any anti-India or anti-security force slogans as village elders were leading them and trying to ensure that the anger against the US did not spill over into provocative actions against the state police or the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
“These are absolutely pro-Islam protests and we demand befitting punishment to those who have desecrated the holy Quran. No Muslim anywhere in the world will watch the desecration of the holy Quran as a mute spectator. This protest is beyond borders and nationalities,” said Manzoor Ahmad, 55, a villager.
“The state administration must understand the sentiment and allow peaceful protests so that our voice against the desecration of the holy Quran is heard by the world.”
An indefinite round the clock curfew continued in the summer capital Srinagar and other major towns of the Valley for the second day Monday.
“Curfew continues to be in force in the entire Srinagar city, south Kashmir’s Anantnag, Pulwama, Bijbehera and north Kashmir Baramulla and Sopore towns. The situation is under control throughout the valley,” a senior police officer said here.
Round the clock curfew has been imposed for the first time here since the present unrest started June 11 in which 70 people have died so far.
During the last three months, the authorities would announce curfew or restrictions in vulnerable areas during the day and deployment of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were withdrawn with nightfall.
“That practice allowed us to buy at least some essentials of life from small shops in the area which would open up for a few hours in the evening. But as the authorities decided to continue with round the clock curfew here, nobody has ventured out in our locality.
“Police vehicles fitted with loudspeakers continued announcements during the night that curfew had not been lifted and people must stay indoors,” said Abdul Majid, 39, a resident of Bohri Kadal area in old city Srinagar here.
The authorities had to continue curfew restrictions without any break in Srinagar city because of the mob frenzy Friday in which the headquarters of the state electricity department, offices of the police crime branch, a police barrack and a vehicle were torched by mobs which were part of the Lal Chowk march by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group.
Curfew was, however, defied by mobs at a number of places in the Valley Sunday as protesters came out and engaged the security forces in sustained stone pelting in Maisuma, Bemina and Soura in the city.
In south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, a mob attacked the home of Education Minister Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed in Damhal Koshipora village and security forces intervened to restore order.
One protester sustained critical abdominal bullet injuries in the incident and is being treated in a hospital.